Wire selection in a cable management system

ABSTRACT

A cable management system which provides routing of wired services between service lines (16) and user lines (18). Each service line enters the cable management system at a service termination unit circuit card (22) which also holds a portion of a crosspoint switch matrix (126). Each user line enters the system at a line termination unit circuit card (20). The service termination unit circuit cards are all mounted to connectors (36) on a first side of a centerplane board (24) and the line termination unit circuit cards are mounted to connectors (36) on the other side of the centerplane board. Pins (37) extending through the centerplane board interconnect the connectors so that any service line can be connected to any user line. A system controller card (26) mounted to the centerplane board communicates with the circuit cards via a bus (38) on the centerplane board. Each user line comprises a subset of the wires of a multi-wire cable (162) extending from a line termination unit circuit card to a remote outlet (200). Switching matrices (222,164) connected to the cable wires at the outlet and at the line termination unit circuit card are utilized to effect selection and ordering of the wires making up the user line.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This is a continuation-in-part of prior co-pending application Ser. No.08/058,190, filed May 3, 1993.

A microfiche appendix is attached to the application including 29 pagesand 202 microfiche.

This invention relates to a cable management system which providesrouting of telephony, low and high speed data, power and video, betweenservice lines and user lines under computer control and, moreparticularly, to such a system wherein selection and ordering of asubset of the wires in a multi-wire cable can be effected.

When wiring a commercial building, it is conventional that all of theservices carried by wire, such as telephony, low and high speed data,power and video, enter the building for termination at respective patchpanels. The patch panels are typically located within wiring closets andinclude a first array of terminations for the service lines which enterthe building and a second array of terminations for the user lines whichextend within the building to various user stations. Within each patchpanel, the connections between the service lines and the user lines aremade manually via jumper wires extending between the first array ofterminations and the second array of terminations. In an idealsituation, records would be maintained as to where each wire goes withinthe building and to what it is connected. However, since the real worldis not ideal, such records are not always properly maintained. Inaddition, wires are often tagged at the patch panels and the tags arelost or become outdated because of lack of updating. Therefore, when atechnician is given a service order to add, move or change a connection,the technician must first determine exactly which physical wires areinvolved. This has proven to be a very time consuming and laborintensive chore. It has been proposed to provide a cable managementsystem with automatic record keeping capability.

The proposed cable management system is interposed between a pluralityof service lines and a plurality of user lines and includes a pluralityof line termination units mounted on circuit cards which provideconnections to the user lines and a plurality of service terminationunits which are mounted on circuit cards and provide connections to theservice lines. Controllable switching means are coupled between theterminations to the user lines and the service lines for selectivelyproviding physical electrical connections between selected ones of theservice lines and selected ones of the user lines. A controller isprovided to control the switching means to selectively make and openconnections between the service lines and the user lines in accordancewith received commands, the controller having a memory in which isstored a map of the connections made through the switching means. Anoperator controlled management station is provided for issuing commandsto the controller, the commands including a connect command to make aphysical electrical connection through the switching means between aspecified service line and a specified user line, and a disconnectcommand to open a physical electrical connection through the switchingmeans between one or more specified service lines and one or morespecified user lines.

In this cable management system, there is a centerplane board which hasa first plurality of card edge connectors on a first side arranged in afirst parallel array and a second plurality of card edge connectors onthe other side arranged in a second parallel array orthogonal to thefirst parallel array. The first and second pluralities of card edgeconnectors are electrically interconnected through the centerplaneboard. The switching means are mounted on the circuit cards associatedwith the service termination units and these cards are installed in thecard edge connectors on the first side of the centerplane board. Theline termination unit circuit cards are installed in the card edgeconnectors on the other side of the centerplane board. Accordingly, anyone or more of the plurality of service lines can be connected to anyone or more of the plurality of user lines through the switching means.The controller is mounted on a circuit card and installed in one of thecard edge connectors on the first side of the centerplane board. Aplurality of conductive bus lines are disposed on the centerplane boardand are electrically interconnected to all the card edge connectors onboth sides of the centerplane board. A respective transceiver coupled tothe bus lines is provided on each of the circuit cards for thecontroller, the service termination units and the line termination unitsfor effecting communications therebetween over the bus lines.

Standard practice when wiring a commercial building for communicationsutilizes insulated cable which typically includes eight wires (e.g.,four sets of unshielded twisted pair). Each multi-wire cable is run froma respective line termination unit circuit card above ceilings, belowfloors and behind walls to its termination at an outlet, usually wallmounted, by means of which an appropriate peripheral user device can becoupled to the user line in the cable. With present day technology, atmost four of the eight wires in the cable are used for communication.The remaining four wires are redundant, or, alternatively, may be usedfor some other purpose. The outlet connector to which the peripheraluser device is connected is of standardized modular design, having eightcontact positions. However, different types of peripheral user devicesare connected to different combinations of four of the eight contactpositions of the outlet connector. It is therefore an object of thepresent invention to provide an arrangement whereby the connections ofthe cable wires to the outlet connector contact positions can beselectively controlled to accommodate different types of peripheral userdevices.

To keep the size of the switching means on the service termination unitcircuit cards as small as possible, only the four wires of the eightwire cable that are used for communication should be switched. It istherefore another object of this invention to provide an arrangementwhereby only those wires of the multi-wire cable which are used forcommunication are coupled to the switching means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing and additional objects of the present invention areattained in accordance with the principles of this invention in a cablemanagement system interposed between a plurality of service lines and aplurality of user lines and including a plurality of service terminationunit circuit cards each connectable to a first predetermined number ofrespective ones of the plurality of service lines, a plurality of linetermination unit circuit cards each connectable to a secondpredetermined number of respective ones of the plurality of user lines,and connecting means for connecting each of the plurality of servicetermination unit circuit cards to all of the plurality of linetermination unit circuit cards. Each of the line termination unitcircuit cards includes a respective port connector for each of the userlines connected to that line termination unit circuit card and arespective user line circuit path between each of the port connectorsand the connecting means and each of the plurality of servicetermination unit circuit cards includes switching means for selectivelyconnecting one of the plurality of service lines connected to thatservice termination unit circuit card to one of the plurality of userline circuit paths. Each of the user lines consists of M wires within acable having M+N wires, where M and N are integers, and each of the portconnectors is connected to the M+N wires of the cable carrying therespective user line associated with that port connector. Each of theuser line cables is terminated at a respective outlet for connectionthereat to a peripheral user device, and the respective outlet includesa connector having M+N contact positions. According to this invention,there is provided an arrangement in the outlet for controlling theconnection of the M cable wires to the outlet connector. The inventivearrangement comprises an M by (M+N) matrix of controllable crosspointswitches, a first side of the matrix having M lines each connected to arespective one of the M cable wires and a second side of the matrixhaving M+N lines each connected to a respective one of the M+N outletconnector contact positions. Each of the M lines of the matrix firstside is connectable through respective crosspoint switches to all of theM+N lines of the matrix second side. The arrangement also includescontrol means for effecting the selective closure of the crosspointswitches so that each of the M cable wires is connected through thematrix to a respective one of the outlet connector contact positions.Accordingly, a particular set of M outlet connector contact positionscan be selected and ordered to define the user line connection to theperipheral user device.

In the cable management system, each of the port connectors has M+Ncontact positions each connected to a respective one of the M+N wires ofthe cable carrying the respective user line associated with that portconnector. In accordance with an aspect of this invention, there isprovided a further arrangement on each of the line termination unitcircuit cards associated with a respective user line and interposedbetween the port connector and the circuit path for that user line forcontrolling the connection of the M cable wires to the circuit path.This further arrangement comprises a second M by (M+N) matrix ofcontrollable crosspoint switches, a first side of the second matrixhaving M lines connected to the user line circuit path and a second sideof the second matrix having M+N lines each connected to a respective oneof the port connector contact positions. Each of the M lines of thesecond matrix first side is connectable through respective crosspointswitches to all of the M+N lines of the second matrix second side. Thisarrangement further includes second control means for effecting theselective closure of the second matrix crosspoint switches so that the Mcable wires are connected to the user line circuit path. Accordingly, aparticular set of M cable wires can be selected and ordered to act asthe user line wires.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing will be more readily apparent upon reading the followingdescription in conjunction with the drawings in which like elements indifferent figures thereof are identified by the same reference numeraland wherein:

FIG. 1 is a conceptual drawing showing the proposed cable managementsystem discussed above;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the cable management system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A schematically depicts the rear of the interior of the cablemanagement system enclosure showing the service termination unit circuitcards and the controller cards;

FIG. 3B schematically depicts the front of the interior of the cablemanagement system enclosure showing the line termination unit circuitcards;

FIG. 3C shows a first side of the centerplane board, which side isadapted to mount the service termination unit circuit cards and thecontroller cards;

FIG. 3D shows the other side of the centerplane board, which side isadapted to mount the line termination unit circuit cards;

FIG. 3E schematically illustrates orthogonal edge connections of aservice termination unit circuit card and a line termination unitcircuit card to the centerplane board;

FIG. 3F is an enlarged detail of a portion of the first side of thecenterplane board showing card connector identification code conductiveareas and part of the communications bus;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an illustrative controller for the cablemanagement system of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the circuitry on an illustrative linetermination unit circuit card for the cable management system of FIG. 2and including an arrangement according to this invention;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the circuitry on an illustrativeservice termination unit circuit card for the cable management system ofFIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 schematically depicts an outlet including an arrangementaccording to this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIG. 1, the cable management system with which the presentinvention is concerned is contained within an enclosure 10 illustratedas having media-specific connectors on both its front surface 12 and itsrear surface (not shown). The cable management system within theenclosure 10 serves as a flexible electronic patching, orcross-connecting, hub for automated cable management of communicationscircuits. Various services, such as LAN'S, telephone, computer I/Ochannels and peripherals, and video distribution links are connected tothe cable management system through media-specific connectors on therear surface of the enclosure 10. Typically, these will be aggregatedmulti-pair cables or high bandwidth cables, such as coax and fiber,common in riser and horizontal distribution subsystems. As shown in FIG.1, such services include ethernet, telephone, video and token ring.

Matrix switch modules are installed within the enclosure 10.Media-specific connectors corresponding to the media selected for eachuser's work station subsystem wiring are installed on the front surface12 and have cables which are attached and then run to the user'slocation. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, at the user's location there may beone or more peripheral user devices, such as telephones, computer workstations, facsimile machines, or television sets. Once wired in thisfashion, each user can be electronically connected to any combination ofservices that is required. All future changes in each user's servicecomplement can be accomplished electronically.

The cable management system within the enclosure 10 maintains a database of the location, source and destination for each cable. The systemcan be configured by a management station 14 (FIG. 2). As shown in FIG.2, the cable management system contained within the enclosure 10 isconnected to the service lines 16, which may be telephone lines, videolines, etc., which come to the system from the various serviceproviders. The cable management system is also connected to the userlines 18 which extend to various user locations. The user lines 18 areeach connected to a respective port on one of a plurality of linetermination unit circuit cards 20-1, . . . , 20-n. Similarly, theservice lines 16 are each connected to a respective port on one of aplurality of service termination unit circuit cards 22-1, . . . , 22-p.

The switching matrix for connecting the service lines 16 to the userlines 18 is distributed among the service termination unit circuit cards22-1, . . . , 22-p so that each of the service termination unit circuitcards 22-1, . . . , 22-p includes thereon a plurality of servicetermination units for connection to a group of the service lines 16 anda portion of the overall switch matrix. The line termination unitcircuit cards 20-1, . . . , 20-n and the service termination unitcircuit cards 22-1, . . . , 22-p are installed on opposite sides of acenterplane board 24, represented schematically in FIG. 2 by a dot-dashline, in such a manner that every line termination unit circuit card20-1, . . . , 20-n is connected to the switch matrix portion of everyservice termination unit circuit card 22-1, . . . , 22-p, as will bedescribed in full detail hereinafter.

Within the enclosure 10, there is also provided a controller circuitcard 26 which is mounted to the centerplane board 24 on the same sidethereof as the service termination unit circuit cards 22-1, . . . ,22-p. The controller circuit card 26 is connected to the managementstation 14 in a suitable manner, such as through an RS-232 link or amodem. To effect communications between the controller circuit card 26,the line termination unit circuit cards 20-1, . . . , 20-n, and theservice termination unit circuit cards 22-1, . . . , 22-p, a multi-linecommunications bus 38 (FIG. 3C) is provided on the centerplane board 24.Each of the controller circuit card 26, the line termination unitcircuit cards 20-1, . . . , 20-n, and the service termination unitcircuit cards 22-1, . . . , 22-p, is provided with a respectivetransceiver 28, 30 and 32 which is coupled to the communications bus 38when the respective circuit card is mounted to the centerplane board 24.

Each of the service termination unit circuit cards 22-1, . . . , 22-pincludes a memory which contains a map of all the connections throughthe switch matrix portion on the respective service termination unitcircuit card, and the controller circuit card 26 includes a memory whichcontains a map of all of the connections in the entire cable managementsystem within the enclosure 10. The management station 14 issuescommands to the circuitry on the controller circuit card 26. Thesecommands include a connect command to make a connection between one ormore specified service lines 16 and one or more specified user lines 18,and a disconnect command to open a connection between a specified one ofthe service lines 16 and a specified one of the user lines 18. Thecircuitry on the controller circuit card 26 places each appropriatecommand onto the communications bus 38 on the centerplane board 24, fromwhich it is received by the transceiver 32 on the specified one of theservice termination unit circuit cards 22-1, . . . , 22-p, which thencontrols its respective switch matrix portion in accordance with thereceived command to either make or open the specified connection.

As shown in FIG. 3A, there are illustratively sixteen servicetermination unit circuit cards 22-1, . . . , 22-16 which are installedvertically in the enclosure 10 from the rear thereof. In addition, thecontroller circuit card 26, which is comprised of two half-cards 26-1and 26-2, are also installed vertically, as is an additional controllercircuit card 34, which plays no part in the present invention. As shownin FIG. 3B, there are illustratively sixteen line termination unitcircuit cards 20-1, . . . , 20-16 which are installed horizontally inthe enclosure 10 from the front thereof. Each of the line terminationunit cards 20-1, . . . , 20-16 and the service termination unit circuitcards 22-1, . . . , 22-16 has eight ports terminated by a respectivemedia-specific connector on the visible edge of the circuit card.

FIGS. 3C and 3D illustrate opposite sides of the centerplane board 24.Specifically, FIG. 3C shows the side of the centerplane board 24 onwhich the service termination unit circuit cards and the controllercircuit cards are mounted and FIG. 3D shows the side of the centerplaneboard 24 on which the line termination unit circuit cards are mounted.Thus, as shown in FIG. 3C, for each of the service termination unitcircuit cards and the controller circuit cards there is provided a pairof vertically oriented card edge connectors 36. Likewise, as shown inFIG. 3D, on the other side of the centerplane board 24 there is providedfor each of the line termination unit circuit cards a pair ofhorizontally oriented card edge connectors 36. (The top and bottom rowsof connectors 36 are not utilized.) Each of the card edge connectors 36has within it nine fields, each of which includes thirty six pins 37(FIG. 3E) arranged in a 6×6 square matrix. The pins 37 extend throughthe centerplane board 24 to a corresponding field in one of the cardedge connectors 36 on the other side of the board 24, therebyinterconnecting the connectors 36 on both sides of the board 24.

Illustratively, each of the service termination unit circuit cards 22-1,. . . , 22-16 and the line termination unit circuit cards 20-1, . . . ,20-16 has eight input/output ports. Each of these ports is a four wireport and each of the four wires of each port of the line terminationunit circuit cards is connected to each of sixteen of the pin fields inthe pair of connectors 36 to which its card is connected. This accountsfor 8×4=32 of the thirty six pins of each field. The remaining four pinsin each of those sixteen pin fields are reserved for power, ground andcontrol signals. Similarly, each of the four wires of a servicetermination unit circuit card port is connected to the switch matrixportion on that service termination unit circuit card. The outputs ofeach service termination unit circuit card's switch matrix portion areeight 4-wire bundles which are each connected to four pins of each ofsixteen of the pin fields of the connector 36 associated with thatservice termination unit circuit card. Again, that accounts for thirtytwo of the thirty six pins in each of those sixteen pin fields, with theremaining four pins being reserved for power, ground and controlsignals.

Because of the orthogonal relationship of the connectors 36 on bothsides of the centerplane board 24, every port of a line termination unitcircuit card is connected to a pin field connected to every one of theservice termination unit circuit cards on the other side of thecenterplane board 24. Thus, FIG. 3E illustrates how the line terminationunit circuit card 20-1 is connected to a pin field of the servicetermination unit circuit card 22-16, as well as to all corresponding pinfields of all the other fifteen service termination unit circuit cards.As shown in FIG. 3E, the pins 37 (a 6×6 array) connect the card edgeconnectors 36 on the two sides of the centerplane board 24 at theirintersection (i.e., at their common pin fields). Illustratively, theline termination unit circuit cards 20-1, . . . , 20-16 take up thesecond through the seventeenth rows of the horizontal connectors 36 ontheir side of the centerplane board 24. The top and bottom rows arevacant. Similarly, the service termination unit circuit cards 22-1, . .. , 22-16 take up the third through the eighteenth columns of thevertical connectors 36 on their side of the board 24. Thus, through theswitch matrices on the service termination unit circuit cards, any oneof the service lines 16 can be connected to any one of the user lines18. In the illustrative embodiment, there are sixteen servicetermination unit circuit cards, each with eight ports, for a total of128 service ports and there are sixteen line termination unit circuitcards, each having eight ports, for a total of 128 user ports. Eachswitch matrix portion on a service termination unit circuit card is aneight port by 128 port (32 by 512 lines) matrix of crosspoints. Thus, asdisclosed, each of the 128 service lines can be connected to each of the128 user ports.

As shown schematically in FIG. 3C, there is a multi-wire communicationsbus 38 on the centerplane board 24. The bus 38 extends parallel to theleftmost column of the vertical connectors 36 and parallel to the upperrow of the horizontal connectors 36 (not shown in FIG. 3C) on the otherside of the board 24. In order that the transceivers 28, 30 and 32 maybe interconnected, the bus 38 is terminated at the pin fields in thesecond through seventeenth rows of the leftmost column for connection tothe transceivers 30 on all of the line termination unit circuit cards20-1, . . . , 20-16; at the upper pin fields in the third througheighteenth columns for connection to the transceivers 32 on all of theservice termination unit circuit cards 22-1, . . . , 22-16; and at theupper pin field of the first column for connection to the transceiver 28of the controller circuit card 26.

FIG. 4 illustrates circuitry on the controller circuit card 26 which maybe utilized in the cable management system according to this invention.The controller 26 includes a microprocessor 102 which is associated withthree different types of memory. The first type of memory is a programread only memory (ROM) 104 which has stored therein the programinstructions for operating the microprocessor 102. The microprocessor102 is also associated with a random access memory (RAM) 106 which isutilized as a temporary storage memory by the microprocessor 102.Lastly, there is a non-volatile random access memory 108 which isutilized to store a map showing all of the connections through theswitch matrix portions on the service termination unit circuit cards22-1, . . . , 22-p as well as information as to what type of card isinstalled in each of the connectors 36. The non-volatile RAM 108 may bean electrically erasable PROM or a "flash" PROM which saves its contentseven when power is lost. Since it takes a relatively long time to writeinformation into the non-volatile RAM 108, the RAM 106 is used totemporarily store the map until such time as it is written into thenon-volatile RAM 108.

The microprocessor 102 is coupled to the management station 14 in anysuitable manner, such as by an RS-232 link or a modem, or through alocal area network. The microprocessor 102 receives commands from themanagement station 14, such as a connect command or a disconnect commandas described above, and in accordance with the program stored in the ROM104 transmits instructions over the bus lines 38 on the centerplaneboard 24 via the transceiver 28. Illustratively, the transceiver 28 is aNeuron® chip manufactured by Echelon Corp. The microprocessor 102addresses a specified one of the service termination unit circuit cards22-1, . . . , 22-p over the bus 38 via the transceiver 28 and providesan appropriate instruction for controlling the switch matrix portion ofthat service termination unit circuit card. The microprocessor 102receives acknowledgements of its instructions, which are returned overthe bus 38 from the specified service termination unit circuit card, viathe transceiver 28, and updates the map stored in the non-volatile RAM108.

The line termination unit circuit card 20 illustrated in FIG. 5 includesthe transceiver 30 coupled to the bus lines 38 on the centerplane board24. Illustratively, the transceiver 30 is a Neuron® chip manufactured byEchelon Corp. The function of the line termination unit circuit card 20is to provide interfaces between the user lines 18 and the switchmatrices on the service termination unit circuit cards 22-1, . . . ,22-p mounted on the other side of the centerplane board 24. Thisinterfacing takes place via user line circuit paths which include thecable drivers (amplifiers) 110. The cable drivers 110 are selectivelycontrollable to pass signals either from individual ones of the servicelines 16 to individual ones of the user lines 18 or in the reversedirection from individual ones of the user lines 18 to individual onesof the service lines 16, as determined by the settings of respectiveones of the control relays 112. The control relays 112 are controlled bythe relay drivers 114 which are operated on the basis of instructionsreceived via the transceiver 30 from the microprocessor 102 of thecontroller 26 over the bus lines 38 on the centerplane board 24.Initially, all the cable drivers 110 are set to pass signals in thedirection from the user lines 18 to the service lines 16, with the cabledrivers being bypassed. This is for safety reasons so that upon systemstart-up dangerously high amplified signals are not inadvertentlytransmitted to the user lines 18, where they could damage sensitiveequipment.

FIG. 6 illustrates the circuitry 22 on one of the service terminationunit circuit cards 22-1, . . . , 22-p. This circuitry includes amicroprocessor 116 having associated therewith three types of memory.There is a program ROM 118, a non-volatile RAM 120 and a RAM 122. Thesememories function similarly to the memories 104, 108 and 106,respectively, associated with the microprocessor 102 of the controller26, but are specifically for the particular one of the servicetermination unit circuit cards 22-1, . . . , 22-p with which they areassociated. The microprocessor 116 is coupled to the transceiver 32,which is illustratively a Neuron® chip manufactured by Echelon Corp. Thetransceiver 32 is coupled to the bus lines 38 on the centerplane board24 and is utilized for communications between the microprocessor 116 andthe microprocessor 102 on the controller circuit card 26. Instructionsreceived by the microprocessor 116 via the transceiver 32 over the bus38 from the microprocessor 102 are utilized to control the relay drivers124 and the switch matrix 126. Interfacing between the service lines 16and the switch matrix 126 is effected via service line circuit pathswhich include the cable drivers (amplifiers) 130. The relay drivers 124set the control relays 128 so that the cable drivers 130 interposedbetween the service lines 16 and the switch matrix 126 are "pointing" inthe proper directions. Again, as with the cable drivers 110 associatedwith the line termination unit circuit cards 20-1, . . . , 20-n, thecable drivers 130 are initially bypassed. The switch matrix 126 isconnected to all of the line termination unit circuit cards 20-1, . . ., 20-n mounted on the other side of the centerplane board 24, aspreviously described, so that any one of the service lines 16 enteringthat particular service termination unit card may be connected to anyone of the user lines 18. In accordance with instructions received fromthe microprocessor 102 on the controller circuit card 26, themicroprocessor 116 controls the switch matrix 126 to make an appropriatephysical electrical connection therethrough between a specified one ofthe service lines 16 entering that card and a specified one of the userlines 18 entering any one of the line termination unit circuit cards20-1, . . . , 20-n on the other side of the centerplane board 24.

In order that the controller 26 can make appropriate connections betweenservice termination unit circuit cards and line termination unit circuitcards, each of these circuit cards includes a respective memory chip,illustratively an EPROM, which contains unique "as built" informationfor that card. Such information includes the type of ports on that card,the configuration of the ports, etc. This memory is loaded at the timethe circuit card is manufactured, or at least prior to the circuit cardbeing installed in the cable management system. Thus, as shown in FIG.5, each line termination unit circuit card 20 includes an "as built"memory 132 coupled to the transceiver 30 and, as shown in FIG. 6, eachservice termination unit circuit card 22 includes an "as built" memory134 coupled to the transceiver 32. Further, in order that the controller26 can identify the connector in which a particular one of the servicetermination unit circuit cards or the line termination unit circuitcards is mounted, an arrangement is provided wherein a uniqueidentification code is assigned to each of the connectors on each sideof the centerplane board 24. FIG. 3F illustrates how such identificationcode assignment is effected.

FIG. 3F illustrates, on an enlarged scale, a portion of the centerplaneboard 24. Preferably, the board 24 is a multi-layer printed circuitboard with an array of 6×6 matrices of apertures 140 which correspond tothe pin fields interconnecting the connectors 36 on the two sides of theboard 24. A pattern of conductive material corresponding to theidentification code for each of the connectors 36 is provided on theboard 24 in a predetermined area associated with each of the connectors36. Specifically, the pattern of conductive material extends intoselected ones of the apertures 140 to contact the pin extending throughthat aperture. Preferably, the conductive areas 139 are all connected toa ground level trace on one of the layers of the board 24, so that apattern of ground signals is applied to selected pins of each of theconnectors 36, which pattern of ground signals is received by theparticular service termination unit circuit card or line terminationunit circuit card mounted to that connector. A binary code is utilizedfor the identification code. Since each side of the centerplane board 24can hold up to sixteen service termination unit circuit cards or up tosixteen line termination unit circuit cards, the identification codesfor each side of the board 24 are each comprised of four bits (2⁴ =16).As shown in FIG. 3F, since the service termination unit circuit cardsare mounted vertically on one side of the board, the identification codeillustratively is provided in the bottom pin field of each of thesixteen columns of pin fields in which a service termination unitcircuit card may be installed. Thus, starting in the third column fromthe left, the four rightmost apertures of the bottom row of the bottompin field are utilized for the identification codes. As shown, each ofthose four apertures either has a conductive area extending therein forcontact with a respective pin (as indicated by an X-ed squaresurrounding that aperture) to ground that pin, or the conductive areadoes not extend into that aperture (as indicated by an open squaresurrounding that aperture) to allow that pin to electrically float. Thegrounding of a pin corresponds to a binary ZERO and the electricalfloating of a pin corresponds to a binary ONE. Thus, the servicetermination unit circuit card mounted in the third column from the left(i.e., service termination unit circuit card number 1) has the binaryidentification code 0000; the service termination unit circuit cardmounted in the fourth column from the left has the binary identificationcode 0001; the service termination unit circuit card mounted in thefifth column from the left has the binary identification code 0010;etc., it being noted that the most significant bit of each binaryidentification code is on the right, as viewed in FIG. 3F, but is on theleft in the above text. Similarly, the identification codes for thehorizontally mounted line termination unit circuit cards illustrativelyare provided in the second through seventeenth rows of the second columnof pin fields. The binary coding scheme for the horizontal linetermination unit circuit cards is the same as for the vertical servicetermination unit circuit cards.

The aforedescribed binary identification codes are permanentlyestablished and associated with specific ones of the connectors 36.Thus, the binary identification codes identify the physical locations ofinstalled service termination unit circuit cards and line terminationunit circuit cards so that if a service termination unit circuit card ismoved from one of the connectors 36 to another of the connectors 36, itsbinary identification code will change. As shown in FIG. 5, for each ofthe line termination unit circuit cards 20, the binary identificationcode is provided over the leads 142 from the centerplane board 24 to thetransceiver 30. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 6, for each of the servicetermination unit circuit cards 22, the binary identification code isprovided over the leads 144 from the centerplane board 24 to thetransceiver 32.

In addition to the binary identification codes and the "as built"information stored in the memories on the circuit cards, as discussedabove, each of the Neuron® chips making up the transceivers 28, 30, 32is provided, upon its manufacture, with a burned in randomidentification number. Upon the initial application of power to thesystem 10, and alternatively upon receiving a "map" command from themanagement station 14, the controller 26 polls all of the linetermination unit circuit cards 20-1 . . . , 20-n and all of the servicetermination unit circuit cards 22-1, . . . 22-p over the bus 38. Whenpolled, each of the line termination unit circuit cards and servicetermination unit circuit cards provides on the bus 38 its binaryidentification code received on the respective lines 142, 144, its "asbuilt" information from its respective memory 132, 134, and theidentification number of its Neuron® chip. In this way, the controller26 can generate a "map" of all of the "assets" within the enclosure 10.

As previously mentioned, each of the user lines 18 typically comprisesfour wires of an eight wire cable extending from a line termination unitcircuit card to a remote outlet, usually wall mounted. For effectivecommunication over the cable, the subset of four wires making up theuser line must be selected from among the eight wires of the cable andthen must be properly terminated in the right order at both ends of thecable to the line termination unit circuit card and to the outlet. Inthe past, this has been accomplished by a technician making dedicatedfixed connections at both ends of the cable. Thus, if one were to changethe type of peripheral user device connected at the outlet, unless thenew peripheral user device used the same wires in the same order, atechnician was required manually to effect a change of the connections.According to the present invention such changes can be effected underautomatic control from the management station 14.

FIG. 7 illustrates an outlet, designated generally by the referencenumeral 200, in which an arrangement according to the present inventionis incorporated for effecting such selection and ordering of the cablewires. The outlet 200 is generally of the type known as an ACO (AMPCommunications Outlet) manufactured by AMP, Incorporated of Harrisburg,Pa. Such an outlet is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,695, with FIG. 11thereof showing a preferred form having an eight contact modular jack.Thus, the outlet 200 includes a printed circuit board 202 to which ismounted a standardized eight contact modular jack, or connector, 204. Atthe other end of the board 202 are eight contact pads 206, 208, 210,212, 214, 216, 218, 220, adapted to be engaged by a card edge connector(not shown) to which an eight wire cable is secured so that each of thewires of the cable is connectable to a respective one of the contactpads 206, . . . , 220. At this point, it is to be noted that the cardedge connector and the board 202 are keyed so that the card edgeconnector can only be installed on the board 202 with a predeterminedorientation to insure that the cable wires have a predeterminedcorrespondence with the contact pads.

In accordance with the present invention, a switch matrix 222 isprovided in the outlet 200. The matrix 222 is made up of a rectangulararray of controllable crosspoint switches. As shown, the crosspointswitches are relay operated, controlled by the relay drivers 224.However, it is understood that semiconductor switches could also beutilized. In any event, one side of the matrix 222 has six lines eachconnected to a respective one of the contact pads 206, 208, 210, 212,214 and 216. The other two contact pads 218 and 220 are connected to thetransceiver 226, as will be described hereinafter. The other side of thematrix 222 has eight lines each connected to a respective one of theeight contact positions of the connector 204. Accordingly, each of thecontact pads 206, . . . , 216 is connectable through crosspoint switchesof the matrix 222 to all of the contact positions of the connector 204.

The transceiver 226 is illustratively a Neuron® chip manufactured byEchelon Corp. and requires two wires for power and communication, itbeing understood that in some applications, three or more wires may beneeded for power and communication. Therefore, the contact pads 218 and220 are dedicated to the transceiver 226. Upon receipt of appropriateinstructions, the transceiver 226 causes the relay drivers 224 to makeappropriate connections through the switch matrix 222 so that four ofthe contact pads 206, . . . , 216 are connected to four of the contactpositions of the connector 204. As will be described, the transceiver226 receives its instructions from the management station 14.Accordingly, a particular set of four contact positions of the connector204 can be selected and ordered to define the user line connection tothe peripheral user device.

As shown in FIG. 5, the multi-wire cables 162-1, . . . , 162-8 whichcontain the user lines 18 enter each line termination unit circuit card20 at a respective one of the port connectors 160-1, . . . , 160-8. Eachof the port connectors 160 has eight contact positions--one for each ofthe eight wires in the respective eight wire cable 162. The eightcontact positions of each of the port connectors 160 are connected toone side of a 6×8 switching matrix within the switch matrix 164. Each ofthe 6×8 matrices is made up of a rectangular array of controllablecrosspoint switches. As shown, the crosspoint switches are relayoperated, controlled by the relay drivers 114. However, it is understoodthat semiconductor switches could also be utilized. In any event, fourwires on each of the other side of each of the switch matrices isconnected to a respective user line circuit path which includes thecable drivers 110. The other two wires connected to that side of each ofthe switching matrices is coupled to the transceiver 30 and is utilizedfor providing instructions from the management station 14 to thetransceiver 226 at the outlet 200. It is to be noted that while theforegoing description has referred to the connector 204 as having asmany contact positions as there are wires in the cable 162, there may becertain situations where the number of contact positions is differentfrom the number of cable wires. However, the present invention isversatile and readily modifiable to adapt to such situations.

Thus, with the complete system disclosed above having switching matricesboth at the outlet 200 and at the line termination unit circuit card 20,full selective control of the wires within each of the user line cables162 may be effected. Thus, not only can the contact positions at theoutlet connector 204 be ordered, but in addition redundancy control ofthe wires within each of the cables 162 can be effected. If redundancycontrol is not desired, then the switching matrix 164 on the linetermination unit circuit card 20 may be eliminated and the cable drivers110 would be connected directly to the port connectors 160. It isunderstood that one limitation of the aforedescribed arrangement is thatat least two wires of each of the cables 162 must be reserved forcontrol of the switch matrix 222 at the outlet 200.

Accordingly, there has been disclosed an improved cable managementsystem wherein selection and ordering of a subset of the wires in amulti-wire cable can be effected. While illustrative embodiments of thepresent invention have been disclosed herein, it is understood thatvarious modifications and adaptations to the disclosed embodiments willbe apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, while thedisclosed embodiment is directed to an implementation of this inventionfor the user lines of a cable management system, the principles of thisinvention are also applicable to the service lines. Therefore, it isintended that this invention be limited only by the scope of theappended claims and equivalents thereto.

The details of the LTU cards schematics for a fixed Ethernet version andthe STU cards schematics for a fixed Ethernet version and the ControllerA card schematics and a 15 Volt power supply schematics are attached inmicrofiche Appendix I. The details for a universal version, i.e.non-Ethernet version, are in additional drawings and a bill ofmaterials, which are attached in microfiche Appendix II.

What is claimed is:
 1. In a cable management system interposed between aplurality of service lines (16) and a plurality of user lines (18) andincluding a plurality of service termination unit circuit cards (22)each connectable to a first predetermined number of respective ones ofsaid plurality of service lines, a plurality of line termination unitcircuit cards (20) each connectable to a second predetermined number ofrespective ones of said plurality of user lines, connecting means (24,36, 37) for connecting each of said plurality of service terminationunit circuit cards to all of said plurality of line termination unitcircuit cards, each of said line termination unit circuit cardsincluding a respective port connector (160) for each of the user linesconnected to that line termination unit circuit card and a respectiveuser line circuit path (110) between each of said port connectors andsaid connecting means, each of said plurality of service terminationunit circuit cards including switching means (126) for selectivelyconnecting one of the plurality of service lines connected to thatservice termination unit circuit card to one of said plurality of userline circuit paths, each of said user lines consisting of M wires withina cable (162) having M+N wires, where M and N are integers, each of saidport connectors being connected to said M+N wires of the cable carryingthe respective user line associated with said each port connector, eachof said user line cables being terminated at a respective outlet (200)for connection thereat to a peripheral user device, and said respectiveoutlet including a connector (204) having M+N contact positions, anarrangement in said outlet for controlling the connection of said Mcable wires to said outlet connector comprising:an M by (M+N) matrix(222) of controllable crosspoint switches, a first side of said matrixhaving M lines each connected to a respective one of said M cable wiresand a second side of said matrix having M+N lines each connected to arespective one of said M+N outlet connector contact positions, each ofsaid M lines of said matrix first side being connectable throughrespective crosspoint switches to all of said M+N lines of said matrixsecond side; and control means (224,226) for effecting the selectiveclosure of said crosspoint switches so that each of said M cable wiresis connected through said matrix to a respective one of said outletconnector contact positions; whereby a particular set of M outletconnector contact positions can be selected and ordered to define theuser line connection to the peripheral user device.
 2. The arrangementaccording to claim 1 wherein said cable management system includesoperator controlled management station means (14) for controlling saidcable management system, said control means includes transceiver means(226) coupled to at least one of the N cable wires, and said managementstation means issues commands to said control means over said at leastone of the N cable wires to effect the selective closure of saidcrosspoint switches.
 3. In a cable management system as set forth inclaim 1 wherein each of said port connectors has M+N contact positionseach connected to a respective one of said M+N wires of the cablecarrying the respective user line associated with said each portconnector, a further arrangement on each of said line termination unitcircuit cards associated with a respective user line and interposedbetween the port connector and the circuit path for that user line forcontrolling the connection of the M cable wires to the circuit path,said further arrangement comprising:a second M by (M+N) matrix (164) ofcontrollable crosspoint switches, a first side of said second matrixhaving M lines connected to said user line circuit path and a secondside of said second matrix having M+N lines each connected to arespective one of said port connector contact positions, each of said Mlines of said second matrix first side being connectable throughrespective crosspoint switches to all of said M+N lines of said secondmatrix second side; and second control means (30,114) for effecting theselective closure of said second matrix crosspoint switches so that saidM cable wires are connected to said circuit path; whereby a particularset of M cable wires can be selected and ordered to act as the user linewires.
 4. The further arrangement according to claim 3 wherein saidcable management system includes operator controlled management station(14) means for controlling said cable management system, said linetermination unit circuit card includes transceiver means (30) coupled toreceive commands issued by said management station, and said managementstation means issues commands to said line termination unit circuit cardto cause said second control means to effect the selective closure ofsaid second matrix crosspoint switches.
 5. In a cable management systeminterposed between a plurality of service lines (16) and a plurality ofuser lines (18) and including a plurality of service termination unitcircuit cards (22) each connectable to a first predetermined number ofrespective ones of said plurality of service lines, a plurality of linetermination unit circuit cards (20) each connectable to a secondpredetermined number of respective ones of said plurality of user lines,connecting means (24, 36, 37) for connecting each of said plurality ofservice termination unit circuit cards to all of said plurality of linetermination unit circuit cards, each of said line termination unitcircuit cards including a respective port connector (160) for each ofthe user lines connected to that line termination unit circuit card anda respective user line circuit path (110) between each of said portconnectors and said connecting means, each of said plurality of servicetermination unit circuit cards including switching means (126) forselectively connecting one of the plurality of service lines connectedto that service termination unit circuit card to one of said pluralityof user line circuit paths, each of said user lines consisting of Mwires within a cable (162) having M+N wires, where M and N are integers,and each of said port connectors having M+N contact positions eachconnected to a respective one of said M+N wires of the cable carryingthe respective user line associated with said each port connector, anarrangement on each of said line termination unit circuit cardsassociated with a respective user line and interposed between the portconnector and the circuit path for that user line for controlling theconnection of M cable wires to the circuit path comprising:an M by (M+N)matrix (164) of controllable crosspoint switches, a first side of saidmatrix having M lines connected to said user line circuit path and asecond side of said matrix having M+N lines each connected to arespective one of said port connector contact positions, each of said Mlines of said matrix first side being connectable through respectivecrosspoint switches to all of said M+N lines of said matrix second side;and control means (30,114) for effecting the selective closure of saidcrosspoint switches so that M cable wires are connected to said userline circuit path; whereby a particular set of M cable wires can beselected and ordered to act as the user line wires.
 6. The arrangementaccording to claim 5 wherein said cable management system includesoperator controlled management station (14) means for controlling saidcable management system, said line termination unit circuit cardincludes transceiver means (30) coupled to receive commands issued bysaid management station, and said management station means issuescommands to said line termination unit circuit card to cause saidcontrol means to effect the selective closure of said matrix crosspointswitches.
 7. In a cable management system as set forth in claim 5wherein each of said user line cables is terminated at a respectiveoutlet (200) for connection thereat to a peripheral user device, andsaid respective outlet includes a connector having M+N contactpositions, a further arrangement in said outlet for controlling theconnection of said particular set of M cable wires to said outletconnector comprising:an (M+N-2) by (M+N) second matrix (222) ofcontrollable crosspoint switches, a first side of said second matrixhaving M+N-2 lines each connected to a respective one of said M+N cablewires and a second side of said second matrix having M+N lines eachconnected to a respective one of said M+N outlet connector contactpositions, each of said M+N-2 lines of said second matrix first sidebeing connectable through respective crosspoint switches to all of saidM+N lines of said second matrix second side; and control means (224,226)for effecting the selective closure of said crosspoint switches so thateach of M cable wires is connected through said second matrix to arespective one of M outlet connector contact positions; whereby aparticular set of M outlet connector contact positions can be selectedand ordered to define the user line connection to the peripheral userdevice.
 8. The further arrangement according to claim 7 wherein saidcable management system includes operator controlled management stationmeans (14) for controlling said cable management system, said controlmeans includes transceiver means (226) coupled to the two of the cablewires not included in the M+N-2 cable wires connected to said secondmatrix first side, and said management station means issues commands tosaid control means over said two cable wires to effect the selectiveclosure of said crosspoint switches.